Parade Eve Power Play: China and Russia Draw Leaders to Beijing

The capital hosted an array of non-Western leaders as Beijing prepared its Victory Day parade—tanks, jets, and marching formations included.
Putin and Xi underscored a bond at unprecedented levels, complete with a sweeping set of agreements.
Kim Jong-un arrived with Kim Ju-ae, and a possible meeting with Putin loomed over the schedule.
Putin’s dialogue with Slovakia’s Robert Fico emphasized energy and Europe’s internal debates over Ukraine.
The pipeline via Mongolia and visa-free travel for Russians underscored a pivot from spectacle to substance.